Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Not long after the death of the said duke of Sum|merset and his complices, Rich. Graf [...]on. Doctor Rid|leie preached before the king, mercie and charitie. it chanced the reuerend fa|ther in God maister doctor Ridleie then bishop of London, to preach before the kings maiestie at Westminster. In the which sermon he made a fruit|full and godlie exhortation to the rich, to be mercifull vnto the poore, and also to mooue such as were in au|thoritie, to trauell by some charitable waie & meane, to comfort and reléeue them. Wherevpon the kings maiestie being a prince of such towardnesse and ver|tue for his yeares, as England before neuer brought forth, and the same also being so well reteined and brought vp in all godlie knowledge, as well by his déere vncle the late protector, as also by his vertuous and learned scholemaisters, was so carefull of the good gouernement of the realme, and chieflie to doo and prefer such things as most speciallie touched the honor of almightie God. And vnderstanding that a great number of poore people did swarme in this realme, and chieflie in the citie of London, and that no good order was taken for them, did suddenlie and of himselfe send to the said bishop as soone as his sermon was ended, willing him not to depart, vn|till that he had spoken with him (and this that I now write was the verie report of the said bishop Rid|leie) who according to the kings commandement gaue his attendance.The verie re|port of bishop Ridleie, wher|in we may [...] what fruits followed vpon his sermon: Ergo the hea|ring of the word preach|ed is profita|ble. And so soone as the kings ma|iestie was at leasure, he called for him, and made him to come vnto him in a great gallerie at West|minster, where (to his knowledge) and the king also told him so, there was present no mo persons than they two, and therefore made him sit downe in one chaire, and he himselfe in another, which (as it seemed) were before the comming of the bishop there pur|poselie set, & caused the bishop (maugre his teeth) to be couered, and then entered communication with him in this sort.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 First giuing him most hartie thanks for his ser|mon and good exhortation, he therein rehearsed such speciall things as he had noted, and that so manie, that the bishop said;

Trulie, trulie (for that was com|monlie his oth) I could neuer haue thought that ex|cellencie to haue béene in his grace, that I beh [...]ld and saw in him. At the last, the kings maiestie much commended him for his exhortation for the reliefe of the poore.A most noble and vertu [...]us saieng of king Edward to bishop Ridleie. But my lord (saith he) ye willed such as are in authoritie to be carefull therof, and to deuise some good order for their reliefe, wherein I thinke you meane me, for I am in highest place, and therefore am the first that must make answere vnto God for my negligence, if I should not be carefull therein, knowing it to be the expresse commandement of al|mightie God, to haue compassion of his poore and néedie members, for whome we must make an ac|compt vnto him. And trulie my lord, I am before all things most willing to trauell that waie, and I EEBO page image 1082 doubt nothing of your long and approued wisedome and learning, who hauing such good zeale as wisheth h [...]lpe vnto them, but that also you haue had some conference with others, what waies are best to be ta|ken therein, the which I am desirous to vnderstand, and therefore I praie you saie your mind.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The bishop thinking least of that matter, and be|ing amazed to heare the wisdome and earnest zeale of the king, was (as he said himselfe) so astonied, that he could not well tell what to saie: but after some pause, said that as he thought at this present for some entrance to be had, it were good to practise with the citie of London, bicause the number of the poore there are verie great,The citizens of London mooued to be assistants in this charita|ble action. & the citizens are manie & also wise; and he doubted not but they were also both pi|tifull & mercifull, as the maior & his brethren, & other the worshipfull of the said citie. And that if it would please the kings maiestie to direct his gratious let|ter vnto the maior of London, willing him to call vnto him such assistants as he should thinke méet, to consult of this matter, for some order to be taken therein, he doubted not but good should follow there|of. And he himselfe promised the king to be one him|selfe that should earnestlie trauell therein.